Earthen Jar is preparing for its official opening of a second location in Ypsilanti soon.
Earthen Jar, a vegetarian Indian restaurant and longtime Ann Arbor staple, had a soft opening of the Ypsilanti location last month. The new restaurant is located on West Michigan Avenue, in a now-renovated storefront that was previously vacant for three decades, said general manager of the family-run business Sim Sethi.
The Sethi family opened the Ann Arbor location of Earthen Jar in 1997, Sim Sethi said. Expanding the business to Ypsilanti has been a longtime goal, he added.
“Ypsilanti — it’s a great little town,” Sim Sethi said. “We were always looking to expand, and we found that a lot of our customers were coming from here.”
The family is excited to share the restaurant’s fares with Ypsilanti clientele, said Pushpinder Sethi, Earthen Jar owner and Sim Sethi’s father.
“We are happy that people are very excited,” Pushpinder Sethi said. “Everybody thanks us that we started here. They don’t have to go all the way to Ann Arbor.”
The Sethi family bought the new storefront in 2021. Renovations at the new location were made possible in part with support from a grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Sim Sethi said.
Read More: Ann Arbor’s Earthen Jar to transform vacant Ypsilanti storefront - The Eastern Echo
Earthen Jar offers by-the-pound buffet-style, all-vegetarian Indian cuisine, with vegan options available as well. Currently, the Ypsilanti location offers carryout options only, Sim Sethi said. The menu is pretty much the same as the Ann Arbor location’s menu, and patrons of both can expect some new menu additions soon, he added.
Earthen Jar, a vegetarian restaurant that offers by-the-pound Indian cuisine, recently opened a second location on West Michigan Avenue in Ypsilanti.
Some popular dishes at Earthen Jar include the shahi korma sabzi, a broccoli and creamy mushroom sauce; sag dal, a spinach and lentil dish; and the chana masala, Sim Sethi said. Sim Sethi’s personal favorite? The sag dal, and being able to enjoy good food is his favorite part about working at Earthen Jar.
The owners hope to create a community-oriented space that includes other small businesses in the area, Sim Sethi said. The restaurant has a dedicated refrigerator where local chefs can sell their food. The owners also plan to display art from local artists, he added.
“I want to make it a place for other small businesses to showcase their talents, as well,” Sim Sethi said.
While the Sethi family doesn’t have an official opening date yet, Earthen Jar is already serving up orders at the Ypsilanti location.
Patrons can expect a proper opening in the next few weeks, Sim Sethi said.
